VEDAT ÇALIŞKAN

Prof. Dr. Vedat Çalışkan is a Professor at the Department of Cultural Heritage Management, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University. He holds a Ph.D. in Human and Economic Geography from Istanbul University. His career includes teaching high school geography, serving on the National Education Board's geography textbook commission, and co-authoring a widely used high school geography textbook with Seval Aras. He has been the Director of the Turkey-Russia Business Cooperation Research and Application Center (ÇOMU-TURUSIA) since 2018.

His education includes a B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. in Human and Economic Geography from Istanbul University. His research focuses on cultural geography, intangible cultural heritage, and regional development. Notable projects include studies on Anatolian camel culture, White Russian refugees in Gallipoli, and the cultural significance of fairs (panayırlar). He advocates for the recognition of these elements as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Research interests span cultural heritage management, migration studies, environmental geography, and Turkish-Russian cultural relations. His work bridges academic research with practical initiatives, such as UNESCO advisory roles and cultural preservation projects. He has been a visiting researcher at Belarusian universities and the University of South Carolina.

Awards include recognition from the Turkish Ministry of National Education, Russian National Pride Foundation, Rossotrudnichestvo, and Türk-Rus Toplumsal Forumu. His advisory work includes supervising 12 theses and leading 16 projects. He collaborates with institutions like the UNESCO Efes Site Management Advisory Board and local municipalities to promote cultural heritage preservation.

Led efforts to inventory Pehlivanköy Fair and Anatolian Camel Culture as intangible heritage. Active in policy advocacy, cultural diplomacy, and international academic exchange programs.